Literally seconds after I posted the last update, the wind freshened to 24 knots…

I’d like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the weather gods for patiently waiting until I hit “post” before shouting, “Reef!”

For most of the day the wind stuck around before easing off a little in the afternoon. According to Mark, the first part of the current night was a bit slower, but since I’ve taken over watch we’ve been happily cruising along at a respectable 6–6.5 knots.

Now… after staring at the latest satellite images for far longer than someone with no meteorological qualifications probably should, I have a suspicion we might be in for a bit of entertainment. The southern edge of a weather system is sliding east over us while we’re enjoying a south-easterly wind—in other words, everyone’s trying to go in different directions. Throw in the fact that we’re now weaving our way through Fiji’s first islands and reefs, and this could either become delightfully exciting… or amount to absolutely nothing at all.

So… stay tuned.

The day itself passed at the speed only a long ocean passage can achieve, and several times we caught ourselves asking, “Are we there yet?”

Firstly, because we are moving… constantly… and so is everything else. Playing chess has become part strategy, part memory game. At this point I genuinely suspect that replacing pieces that have launched themselves across the board has contributed more to my defeats than my actual chess skills. (That’s my story, anyway.)

Secondly—and this is becoming serious—I would commit mildly questionable acts for fresh fruit and vegetables. Polynesians, lovely as they are, don’t seem to share my enthusiasm for vegetables, and living on tiny remote islands means there’s simply not a huge selection available. We had fantastic salads in Aitutaki, but because we weren’t allowed to take fresh produce into Tonga, and everything was eye-wateringly expensive, I didn’t stock up as I usually would.

Which leaves us with one solitary apple.

It now occupies the fridge with the quiet authority of the One Ring. Every time someone opens the door, I swear it whispers, “My precious…”

And thirdly… because arriving somewhere is one of life’s greatest pleasures. New anchorage, solid ground, fresh food, showers that don’t require balancing, and absolutely no more wondering whether that dark cloud is coming for us.

With a bit of luck, this will be our final night at sea.

Having said that… the moment I typed that sentence, the wind promptly disappeared and our speed dropped to a leisurely 4.5–5 knots.

Duuh- jinxed it! Classic.

I really need to stop writing about wind while we’re still sailing.

Anyway… if this continues, you may have to endure yet another update from somewhere between “almost there” and “still not there.”